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ORATION 



HRONcaNCED BY 



Col. Charles C. Jones, Jr. 

ON THE 3lsT OCTOBER. 1878. 

UPON THE |"^^{^^sION np tuf. 

Unveiling and Dedication 

OF 1' H E 



'»7 



ERECTED BY THE 



IN BROAD STREET. 
IN THE CITY Ol" AUGUSTA. GEORGIA. 



'*A forted residence '«:ainst the tooth <j, 
.\n& rasure of oblivion." 



i 




A I'l'-iiP'iiit Iroiii tlic .VuL'u^ta ■'Kvcning .Senfiiicl" of Oclittier HI, 1 



O Pv A T I O N 



The reverberafcions of the thunders of 

ooDtenuing arraies had Fcarcely been 
hushed withiii our borders, and the 
blood of our prtcious dead cefistd to in- 
<5arGadiiie thy laod for ■P^h-'^e refeaiiosi 
they bad wrestled so bravely but in vain, 
\7hea it entered into the hearts of noble 
women in our city to erect a monumeut 
in honor of the Lost Cause, in memory 
of th." g-Jlant soldiers from thi?' county 
who had peri'=ihed duricg the Confeder- 
ate 3truggl3 for independence. 

It w«s a holy purpose; the logical se- 
quence of that love, eympafby, 8Plf-de- 
nia^, encouragement and devotion which, 
exhibited Jjy mother, wife, sister, 
daughter, daring the progress of the 
revolution, had, in manly breasts, in- 
a^sirt d hopes the mosS. exalted, stimn- 
lated patriotism the pureet, and prompt- 
ted action the most heroic. 

It was a Vjrave resolve, for the entire 
region was filled with mourninp^, Hope 
had tied, and espeetation perithed. Es- 
tablished institutions had been ruthless- 
ly overturned, and the pleasure of the 
Conqueror was the supreme law. Sor- 
row, penurv, disappointment and ashvs 
were the common heritage; and, in the 
general gloom which encompassed alJ, 
there shone not a single star of substan- 
tial promise. 

Surely none, save the loyal women of 
our own SouthlaBd, were qualified for 
such an effort. Intent upon the ac- 
complisuineuc of their generous mission, 
with such zeal did they pnoeeeute their 
pious laborp.that in the t'ri'Jnet^Ei of time, 
deep in the bosom of this our mother 
earth, and in the presence of a grateful 
people were securely laid the founda- 
tions of the monument whose comple 
tion we this dn^^ cele' rate. 

On that memorable occasion, by one* 
in whoa are happily blended the cour- 
age and capacity of a military leader, 
the pnriiy and devoiioa of a minister of 
the Most High God, the eloquence of 
an orator, and the catholic spirit of a 
true citizen, were uttered words of con- 
gratulation, dignity and manhood, which 
far and near were welcomed and ap- 

'Revereod-General Clement A. Evane. 



plauded. Three years have elapsed 
since those imposing eereiaoniea were 
observed. The labors of these erood 
women are now ended. Their efforts 
have bePu ciowued with oomplele bua- 
cees. Wrought by siiilled hands from 
out the marble womb of those classic 
hills which, overlooking the beautiful 
bay of Qeooa, have, tor more than 
eighteen ccnturie;;, furnished their ptire 
material for the art trophies of many 
nations, the blocks which compose this 
monument, safely transported across 
kindly seas, and apt'y j 'ined to- 
together, now rise before onr admiring 
gaze in comely shape acd realistic beau- 
ty, the pride of Augusta, and the cyno- 
sure of every Confederate eye. 

Hither are v/o come, with all the pomp 
and circumstance at command, with 
united voice to congratulate the ladies 
of the Memorial Apsociation upon the 
consummation of this blessed work; 
to tender the cordial thanks not only of 
this entire community and State, but 
also of all whose hearts are loyal to the 
impulses, aims, and rights cherished by 
the South and stcrnl^ bittl'd for in 
the war between the States, for this 
sightly cenotaph, the off.^pring of their 
energy, sympathy and love, and to as- 
sure them that mitdful of their exhor- 
tations, examplep, prayers, sacrifices, 
and angelic mioistrations when death 
and desolation stalked lik'^ all dtvour- 
iug demons through our war-eojiVulaad 
laud, and revereocing the sentiments 
which animated their pure bosoms in 
this illustrious behalf, we will cultivate 
the virtuep, guard the prirclples, emu- 
late the charasters, and observe Vbe les- 
sons which this their priceless gift is 
desigoed to inculcate, commemorate, and 
perpetuate. 

With rapturous joy do we hail the 
dedication of this goodly monument. 
With kindliog hearts do we retipiud to 
the inspirations and the mediories 
which its presence bespeaks. We glory 
in the rectitude of the cause, and exult 
in the valor of the men symbolized by 
its towering form and martidl outlines. 



In open day, and ia the face of the 
world, we here protest that eo far from 
bsing " rfbele against legitimate au- 
thority and traitors to their country, " 
our Confederate Dead were '* lovers of 
liberty, combatants for constitutional 
righte, anfl, as examplars of heroic vir- 
tue, benefactors of their raoe." 

For the past we have no apologies to 
offer, no excuses to render, no regrets to 
ncter, save that we failed in oar high 
endeavor ; no tears to shed except over 
withered hopes and the graves of our 
departed worthies. We yielded in tho 
end because we were overborne by su- 
perior numbers and weightier munitions. 
Auj pledges given will be by us duly 
observed ; but it is well known, alike by 
friend and stranger, that nothing ha3 
been absolutely dttermioed except tlie 
question of comparative ptrength. The 
issue furnished only a physioul solution 
of the moral, social, and political propo i- 
tioDS inv.-ived in the gigantic strngg'e. 
The sword never does,and never can com- 
pass other than a forcible arbitrament 
in matters of conscicrscc, principle, and 
inalienable right. Even now the funda- 
mental cla-"ms, the political privileges, 
and the vested rights in support of 
which the Southern people expend- 
ed their blood and treasure, are, 
in a moral point cf view, un- 
efF..'c^ed by the result of the 
conteat. This we coyfideuily affiim 
in the teeth of the practical and in many 
rcrpectd lamcntabio eou.sfqueuef s e-;- 
tailed by tho intervention of the vis 
major. The necessity was laid upon us, 
to maintain cur State sovereignty, home 
rule, honor, ptcperty, ynd oe'.f retpect, et 
the expense of wouuds, desolation aid 
death. An appe-l to arms in an un- 
equal strife, and in a defensive war was 
all that wijs left to us. We accepted tie 
issue. For foor lopg and bloody years 
were our entire manhood and capabili- 
ties enlisted in tho great battle for coa- 
stitutionol liberty and self preservation. 
We failed, but not until we bad demon- 
strated to an expectant world that we 
esteemed life less dear than honor, and 
thit We were at least not unworthy the 
privileges, the homes and the equalities 
for which we contended. 

The day will Rurely come— aye, it's 
dawnina: is already begun — when the 
conduct of the Confederate States in 
their amez ng contest for right, prop- 
erty, and an independent national fxist- 
ence, will be justified, honored, and ad- 
mired by all who possess the knowledge 
to diFcero, the hot esty to appreciate. 



and the candor to confess. The weaMfe 
of high resolves, fearless purpo^ea^ 
"treTiUoua exertions and generous Sacri- 
fices — the satisfaction born of a consci- 
ousness of duty discharged, manhood' 
vindicatf d, and country defended while- 
hope and ability remained — an abiding' 
confidence in the rf ctitude of cur lofty 
empr'88 — the record of brave deeds— the- 
recollections of a heroic past, and the 
rich legacy beq-aestbed by the valor and- 
devotion of sons, brothers, fathers— all 
these and more are ours, and neither 
he lap=e, of yenra nor the mutntioris of 
fortune can wrest them from us. 

On the entablature of an ancient gate- 
v/ay lecdiiig towards a restiijg pi<:ea for 
the dead is an inscription in which the 
soul 58 sublimely celebrated as sitperstes 
corpoH caduco — euiviving the try.il 
body. Yts, the exalted spirit which 
animated our Confederate dead — the 
Eoul of patriotifm which led them to 
give to their country their loves and 
their lives - must triumph over thfl ob- 
livion of the crave, and forever remaia 
ciA-f^Ct'oo^u c-^i'^^j o K^dixaco, ill fcnose 
voiceless eorgs which in quiet hours' 
we sing in our own thoughts, this re- 
frain -ffill remind of present and future 
glory for this immortal dust, and in- 
ppire hope for the people whose son» 
evinced euoh devotion. 

The waves of the ocean as they I reak 
along our shore will chant antbems in 
honor of our illustrious dead. The 
t.voilastiL g (liiis wiii continue the living 
witnespes of their triumphs. Silent val- 
leys v^-iH remain voc^sl with their praises, 
and river and flood and mfuictain and 
plain proclaim their deeds of valor. 
Fair hands V7i!3, each yeuv, with v.^rnal 
flowers, fresh, spotless and redolent of 
sweetest perfumes, garland their graves. 
You:;g and o!d will venerate the iilus- 
triouB memories they have bequeathed, 
and childrens' child-en- proud of their 
descent from Confederate sires — learn 
with earliest breath to lit-p the n'lmss 
of the chieftains of the St uth, and with . 
their youngest emotions to admire and ^ 
tmulate their famous examples. 

This occasion recalls the virtues, and 
consecrates in endurfcg marble the 
images of our slain warriors. It crys- 
talizes in towering and symmetrical 
form the meniories of the Confederate 
struggle for independence. Meet it is 
that such chcracters and recollections 
should be peipetuated by the costliest 
and the most durable expreesiona of 
art. Most feemly is it that this gift 
should be bestowed by the hard of 



pare womani most appropri-xte t'bat this 
tribute should be earliest consecrated 
■by her prayers, her loves, and her tears. 
If anything were needed to Pupplement 
the rjH.iitittjsln of Tnif. ^ii^ir.r;^ -■•. ]". ';:;:'vl 
in her presence, in her attesting eympa- 
tb^ and in tho rot"''"'>'"'i?-ti?" -' tiii b^r 
exertions, faith, and perseverance under 
■cireamstaDcea the most untcwanl. 

Ij is a strange sight, this dfd cation 
of an august monument in the chief 
place of our city, by a people who were 
overcome in the contest, to the cause 
which they seemingly lost, and to 
the heroes who periBacd in the ef- 
fort for its maintecauce. We question 
whether history, in ail her wide rauge of 
nationB and ages, furnishes like example. 
To victors beioug pseins, and triumphal 
arches and statues of bronza and marble 
and gold aie usually accorded only to 
those who win the title of ooicqafror. 

Only ten years agone, Polish exUes, 
assembled from various countries in Eu- 
rope, inaugurated upon Swiss soil a 
monument comm.-morativo of their dis- 
-membcred nation'^ long and unsucoesa- 
ful struggle for independence. It con- 
6ists of a column of bl.iek marble sur- 
mounted by the white e«g'e of Poland. 
Upon the four sides of its pedestal, in 
Polish, French, German, and Latin, is 
engraved this moving appeal : "The im 
mortal genius of Poland, unsubdued af 
ter a strvggle of a hundred years, on 
free Helvetian soil appeals to the jus 
■tice of God and man." 

Here, however, upon soil lately Con- 
federate, and loyal etill to the traditions 
of a glorious past, wo elevate this ceno- 
taph which now proclaims, and shall tes- 
tify to the coming generations the power 
of Confederate memories, the pathos of 
Confederate emotions, the gratitude and 
devotion of Confederate hearts No one 
•questions our motives, or suggests ob- 
jections to these )ra!^ro?;Five ceremonies. 
•It is because the principles we sought to 
establish commend themselves to the 
approbation of liberty loving mankind ; 
it is because truth and justice are eter- 
nal, and remain unafi' -cted by tha acci- 
dents of war ; it is because the brave 
spirits who fell inthofff)rt to sustain 
them, earned the adciration of the civ- 
ilized world, and secured for themselves 
a reputation above the shafts of malev- 
olence and the sneers of detraction, that 
i;he propriety of monuments like this is 
"freely accorded. 

While the cause which we now em- 
blazon belongs to history, while the 
ibright examples of the virtuous dead 



who perished in its support will be 
emulated by men of other ages, and 
while their good deeds will be treasured 
as the heritage of many generations, 

here and now embody our special re- 
spect Bud pe^doiitii i.yvu, iujiil.y and ad- 
miration, in visible shape, thus accord- 
ing to the nobility of our own times, 

"A local habitation and a name." 

Monuments are connecting links be- 
tween the present end the past. They 
symbolize the noblenesses which have 
gone bt f re,and betoken a happy recog- 
nition of thera by those who conje after, 
Thty denote a "jast and grateful ap- 
preciation of the virtues aud services 
Ibey are designed to commemorate, and 
stand as silent yet impressive teachers 
of the noblest lessons," About them 
gather the rec-iiections of former achieve- 
ments and brave endeavors, and in them 
dwells a consciousness of the dignity 
and manhood of the rac« whose history 
has been enriched by such exhibitions 
of worth and excellence. They stimu- 
late children to a generous emulation of 
the meritorious deeds of their ancestors, 
and incite to action. They foster mar- 
tial spirit and engender courageous 
aspirations. By portraying the images 
of the great, they keep ever before our 
eyes deathle s examples. The looks 
and thoughts of sympathy begotten by 
their heroic presence give birth to hero- 
ism. Within the charmed sphere of 
their influence the living learn to value 
and to imitate the true, the beautiful, 
and the sublime, atd insensibly acquire 
the virtues they symbolize. 

Peoples whose exploits have been fa- 
mous, recognizing the propriety and 
the potency of such tributes, hav3 in 
all cultured ages invoked the aid of the 
sculptor to perpetuate the remembrance 
of m,m<-rable men and events. The 
majestic Acropolis was filled with the 
signs tf Athenian valor. Imperial 
Rome pointed proudly to her triumphal 
arches and the statues of her deified 
heroes. The opulent cities of the earth 
reckon among their chief decorations 
and conspicuous ornaments, grateful of- 
ferings to departed worth. 

Yes, moDuments are the physical em- 
bodiments of the most exalted trn mo- 
ries and the moat valuable traditions 
of a people, The.y are at onc»- ex- 
ponents of the general gratitude, 
and enduring pledges of public 
allegiance to the cardinal principles il- 
lustrated by the lives and acts of those 



in wbo36 hoDOv thoy ar? ereofed. Bless- 
ed is the people whoso homes are ren- 
dered ilinsfcrioua by grand monuoients 
and distinguished graves. A couuiry 
without these is a pkce without naircB, 
and a territory devoid of moral gran- 
deur. 

Although our Southern Cross was shot 
to shreds upon the battle field; although 
our beloved Confederacy haSj^ith a moil- 
ed and bloody baud, been blotted from 
the sisterhood of nations, we bid this 
monument bair 

"Thjs blazon to tlie ecd of time : 
No nation rose so lohite and fair, 

None fell so pure of crime ;" 

and, uttering the sentiments of the good 
pnrl true Tvomen of this TVlemnripl aroo- 
ciation, and, indicating the general wieh 
for our dead herqes, we charge this 
voicefal cenotaph to 

"Give lliem the meed they have won in the 

past, 
Givo them the honors their falure forecast. 
Give the it the ouapleiB ihey won iu the Btrife, 
Givo them the lauiels tliey lost with thair 

life." 

Oh ! holy cause ! Oh ! i^^r.ctr:c"C 
nam!::a ! For you time csn brirg no 
shadow, nc.r envious years oblivion. 

This day we wrest from our secular 
calendar, and f et apart as a season of 
hallowed recollections, of dead hopes, 
of tearful eyes, of garlanded graves. 
This ceiotfiph we elevate as a 
spofiess, , lasting, just tribute to 
our Confederate Dead. Draw near 



-1 Tj * g XmX D I iJ 



the special 



memories which our motherr, wives, 
sisters and daughters have commistion- 
ed these marbles to illustrate. 

In its entiiety tymboliziag the 
Confedcrato c.■^p.^::c, and embodying 
the consolidated recollections of all 
the men and evsuta connected with 
our iJlnstrions Ktniggle, this monu- 
ment in its datjiils f-xbibita particu- 
lar tmbh mst, and possesses for us 
special significance. In recognizing 
and iipj.T' eiuti; g these we acquire at 
least on epproximute conception of what 
these ladies now commit to tho general 
keeping, and prepare ourselves and 
those who are to come after us for the 
proper conservation of the solemn trust. 

Unvcll the .Statucw. 

Around the base of this cenotaph we 
biehold four iiiesize statues of pure 
Carrara marble. One of them proclaims 
thft conspicuous services, and intro- 
dnp(:6 to our admiring gaze the gallant 
form uf as intrepid a son as this county 



ever gaT." to conntry,. or aut'horizec? 
upon the tented field to exemplify the 
valor of his native State. Bred to 
arms— every inch a soldier— his inspira- 
tion kiudiirg with the drumbeat and 
the roars of musketry — above all fear 
amid the shock o. arms and in emergen- 
cies the most perilous — lending where the 
boldest might hesitate to follow, crav- 
ing nothing save the honor of bis men 
and the triumph of his cjause, Major- 
Generol William Henry T. Walker 
aohievTd a name and a repututiou amid 
the everglades of Florida, upon the 
plains of Mexico, and on the battle- 
fields of the South, than which none 
more dari»g or brilliant fires the hearts 
of all true Georgians. 

In the maternal embrace of this com- 
monwealth was bio pteeions body en- 
folded, when, on the 22 1 erf July,'l864, 
ho encountered his mortal hurt in the 
gory engsg'jment avound Atiaafa. For 
gdiantry in Mexico and Florida did 
Georgia award a sword to her loved and 
battlo-serii'ved son while he lived, and 
now that he is dead, gentlo hands^ | 
miudf'il of his conraee. heroic traits, | 
and cinspieuous gallantry, and solici- 
tous that the afrer generations should ; 
not forged his kn;ght}y bearirg, or Ml ' 
to eranh'te his self saerifioe, bsve erect- 
ed this statue which we unveil and dedi-^ 
ce.te as ppr^ of this out Confederatet' 
monntnent, bailing its presence with^ 
gratitude ard jo.7, contemplating it witb 
emotiona (i commingled p^ide and sor- 
row, and fenner^rg it to the future 
years ns an embodyment of honor moat 
true, manhood unqueationed, fortitude 
almost beyond compare, and loyalty the 
mo^t complete. 

And near him stands another Geor- 
gian, in whose character, life, and rli^atb 
any people might glory. A distinguish- 
ed luwyer and enccessful sdvocate— a 
man of "letters, full of generous impulse 
and e.iger for the improvement of his 
race— a Ghrisdan gentleman), and a citi- 
zm public spirited to the last degree, 
Brignciier Geteral Thomaa R. R. Cobb 
may be justly accepted and remembered 
as the highest type of the citizen soldier. 
When the primal perils of the revolu- 
tion were upon us. abandoning his home 
and profession, wirhour heiL'itancy plac- 
ing his head and heart at the disposal of 
the Oonfede-i-aoy, and leading to the wars 
as sturdy a band of patriots as ev«r drew 
sabre in the lists of freedom, he sought 
the enemy upon the furthest verge of the 
crimson tide, and followed the fortunes 
of the Army of Northern Virginia until 



*hM gtipr^mft mon3«^!Ot5 toViirPj from 
Marye's Heights— spot ever memorable 
and glorious— bis radiant soul ascended 
in the srsoke of battle and nmid the 
shouis 01 victory to the eternal borne of 
the brave and the blessed. Intimately 
associated is his fame with the triumphs 
of the Army of Northern Virginia; — an 
army more invincible than the Mace- 
donian Phalanx aioviug, sbieid touching 
shield, sixteen deep against the enemy — 
more iiiustrioua than the Old Guard of 
the Fivst Napoieca, its eagles full high 
advanced, crushing with its thunders th9 
Austrian opotre at Wagram. To have 
been a soldier of that grand army was a 
distinguished honor. To have accept- 
ably discharged the duties of a general 
officer ctmmsindiiig one of its finest 
brigadi^s uas plorious. To have died 
the death of a Christian hero while aid- 
ing in the consummation of one of its 
greatest victories was sublime. 

In thus paying superior honors to 
these distirgnisbed Georgians who 
deemed it nobler to die in defense of the 
right than to yield to the encroach- 
ments of the wrong and live, we greet 
their statues as types, as representative 
images of all the eorrtmissioned officers 
— brave eons of this our City, Couni^y and 
Comuionwealth — who, in the crisis of a 
nation's fate, gave their lives for the 
public good. Tiieir name is Legion, 
and their statues, if lifted up, would 
crowd a Pantheon. Praises have they 
won which euceeeding generations will 
account it a privilege to repeat, and 
their eepulchrea will always be iiiustri- 

0U3. 

Intimately associated with the recol- 
lections of these our dead heroes is the 
fame of many who shared with them the 
dang: r • and privations of "vbo war, who 
bare I tb-ir buMsts to the common 
ea« mv, wiio, wtiiliR hope remained, up- 
held ihe siirag banner, and who, when 
the conflict was over, returned to deso- 
lated homes bringing their shields with 
them. 

To you. Survivors of the Confederate 
Army and Navy, we turn with tender- 
ness and affection. We welcome you 
into the select circle of the honored 
and the loved. We applaud yonr en- 
deavors in those Spartan days now num- 
bered witb a consecrated past, and dur- 
ing the period of gloom and oppression 
which followed hard upon the surren- 
der. The eyes and hopes of your coun- 
trymen are still upon you. A general 
benizon is y^urs. To be worthily ao 
counted one of yon is a proud distinc- 



tion. In tho name of these kind ladies 
we assure you, that wlien in tne provi- 
dence of Him, in whose bands are the 
issues of bfe and death, ycu Bhsll re- 
joifi the cort»p«nmrt«ib'p cf the good and 
the brave who have gone before— the 
good and the brave whom ycu knew and 
supported in the hour of peril, and 
whose memories we this day celebrate— 
your virtues will encircje these marbles 
with an adiitional halo; and, snatched 
from the forgetfuluess of the giave, 
your achievements will be treasured and 
heralded by this canonizing monument. 
To the Roman heart the image of 
Horatins in his". barnesp. nutfin-r npon 
one knee, and reminding every beholder, 

•Hu«-vs!ni-tl7hcL:ptthcbri^So 
la the brdve dayu of old," 

was as dear as the gravse of the stout 
guards, who patriotically, although 
vainly, strove to uelivtr Jauiculam from 
the ruin wrought by Astur. 

Anc!, my countrymen, who of all tbia 
vast multitude can give adequate utter- 
ance to the universal joy an.i profound 
emotions of commingled love, grief and 
admiration which possess our souls 
upon unveiling the st-atues cf our great 
c^ptaii:.^, S orevvall Jackson and Robt. 
E. Lee ? Could I at this moment con- 
sult my own wishes, I would invoke the 
thunder of cannon and your unied ac- 
clamations in heroic conduct of this 
part of our august ceremonies. In 
hailing the dedication in our midst of 
these marble images of our Confederate 
leaders, and in the attempt even feebly 
to reeouiit the glories vvbleh appertain 
to each of them, we find ourselves, in 
the language of the eloquent Bossuet 
when pronou'^cing his splendid eulogy 
ut-on 'be Prince of Conde, "overwhelm- 
ed by the greatness of the theme and 
the needlessnesa of the task. What 
part of the habitabia world has not 
heard of their victories and the Tfonders 
of their lives ? Everywhere tbey are 
rehearsed. Their countrymeu in ex- 
tolling them can give no io formation 
even to the stranger. And, althongh I 
may remind you of them, yet everything 
I could say would be anticipated 
by your thoughts, and I should suffer 
the reproach of filling far below them." 
Of their unsullied honor, exalted great- 
ness, lofty natures, unselfi-h spirit, 
pure, chivalrou3, religious characters, 
constancy, patriotism, valor, devotion 
to duly, military abilities, and magnifi- 
cent exploits, no estimate can be exag- 
gerated. If an Englishman hesitates 



6 



not to effi m that a country which has 
given bitth to these men and to those 
who foiiotvtct them may lock the chival- 
ry of the Od World in the face without 
feuatijt;, xui tut) ifiLuef laii'is cf ["Sidney 
and Bejard never produced better sol- 
aiers, truer gentlemen, or Bincerer 
Cbristiaue, what shall be our eulogium? 
What eaoomium can content us who ex- 
ulted i'^ their leadership, caught the in- 
spiration of their pre=!ence and acts, 
witaessbd their self sacrifice, partici- 
pated in tkeir trinmpVis, loved the land 
for whose salvation thay fought, and 
mourn?d their deaths with a bitter lam- 
entation ? 

Jackson, the right arm of Lee, our 
military meteor streaming upward and 
onward in aa unbroken track of light 
and asoendiag to the skies in the zenith 
of his, f»mp. w>^H indeed a h^^ro "whose 
name will labt to the end of time as an 
instance of the combination of the most 
adveaturous and felicitous daring as a 
soldier, the most self sacrificing devo- 
tion as a paLriofc, auu the most exalted 
character as a man; one who could unite 
the virtues the Cavalier and of the Round 
Head without the faults of either, and 
be at once a Havelock and a Garabaldi," 
and greater than them both. 

Of Lee, the most distinguished repre- 
sentative of a cause which electrified 
the civilized world by the grandeur of 
\its saoriiicts, the digniiy and rectitude 
of its aims, the nobility of its pursuit, 
and the msgoitude and brilliancy of the 
deeds performed in its support, what 
ci.n we say save that he was "the most 
stainless of earthly commanders and, ex 
cept in fortune, the greatest." Him do 
we accept and bold out to the prr sent 
and the future a* the highest type of the 
Southern gentleman. In his noble per- 
son, dignifi.d carrieg', refined manners, 
cultivated address, calm self-possession, 
and inte'l"ctu3i and moral endov^ments, 
we rccogniz ' the calmination of our pa- 
triarchal Civilization. Him do we offer 
as the goodliest reprefieatative of Con- 
federate valor, loyalty and chivalry. 
Him do we present as the embodyment 
of all that was highest, truest, grandest, 
alike in the hour of triumph and in the 
day of defeat. 

Him do we proclaim our great Cap- 
tain, our exemplar. 

It is a peirenn'.n] glory that our cause 
summoned to its support two such 
champions. Their lives, characters, and 
acts we interpose as a potent shield 
against the shafts of ignorance, calumny 
and falsehood ; as a justification, a 



triumphant vindication of our aims and 

conduct when the Red Cross claimed 

and received the allegiance of our land. 

Welcome ye statues of the good and 



Thrice welcome, precious memories of 
Lae and Jackson and Walker uud Cobb, 
and all the cjmpatriocs who united with 
you in the leadership of our armies and 
in the brave effort to maintiiin Confede- 
rate rights. Your record is complete. 
Time, which 

* * 'iay=5 his hand 

On pyramids of brass, aud ruins quite 

What all the fond artificars did think 

ImaaortpJ workmanship," 
can hero fiuu co apt images for his 
iconoclastic touch. 

Hither will mauly forms repair to re- 
new their allegiance, and here will unb ^rn 
generations learn the truth of history, 

J tU- — u:_u „,.i;r:<-. 4 

such exalted sympatie?. 

And, now, above Brigidier-Qeneral, 
and Major-General, and Lieutenant- 
General, and fall General, yea, lapon the 
very summit of this imposing cenotaph, 
see the manly ioimoi the private soldier 
of the Coafederate army; the eloquent 
embodyment of the spirit and prowess 
alike of this County and State, and of all 
the sleeping hosts who, in our crusade 
for freedom, gave their lives to country, 
aud a record to history than which none 
more conspicuous dignifies the annals 
of civiliz 'd warfare. lu tbis attitude of 
parade rest, in this elevation far above 
the hum of every day life and the busy 
cares of mortal?, we reccgaize the palin 
genesis from a vule of sui-^ke aud sacri- 
fice and blood and death, to the abode 
of peace and eternal repose. 

With a pathos entirely its own does 
this statue appeal to our hearts and 
rivet our attention, for who is there in 
this vast concourse who does not recog- 
nize in this calm marble the symbol of 
some father, -son, husband, brother, 
friend, who, fresh lipped and full of 
ardor, left us when the trumpet sum- 
moned pstrioto to the field, and came 
not home again when in the end the 
martial gray was exchanged for the 
habiliments of mourning, and the Stars 
and Bars, borne aloft so long and so 
well, went down in the dust and carn- 
age of the strife; went down, 
* * " for the hands that grasped it, 
Aud the hearts that fondly claaped it 
Cold and dead are lying Uvf ; 
And that Banner it is trailing. 
While round it sounds the wailiug 
Of it's people in their woe ; 
For, though conquered, they adore it, 
Love the cold, dead hands that bore it, 
Weep for those who fell before it." 



In the grand processions made by the 
Athenians in honor of their soldiers 
killed in action, was borne a sunaptuous 
bier, quite empty, in remembrance of 
those whose bodies could not be found 
or identified among the slain. To day 
we exalt this characteristic eidolon in 
perpetnal recollection of the non- 
ccmmissiotied officers and privates, 
known and ut.known, recorded and un- 
recorde'^, recovered or lost, who foil in 
the Co)j federate ranks. 

While specially designed to stand as 
the tnoKiimpDwil type of all the pfood 
and true sons of Richmond county who 
died without commissiou while fighting 
for country and rJgbt, thif? image, in ite 
catholic scope and far-reaching design, 
may be claimed for every Confederate 
who fi'Is a humble and, perchance, an 
unmarked grave, whether he sleep in 
some distant and eeeludtd spot wuhin 
the wide borders once our own, whether 
his patfiu'j bl iOu was shed ou fore^gu 
soil or upon the broad ocean, or whether 
bis poor body sickened and died in 
Pederal prison camp ai :d hospitfil. 

If it be true, as many believe, that 
the inmates of th-? spirit worid take note 
of transactions here which concern them 
nearly and are calculated, as one might 
think and not irreverently, to minicfter 
to the happiness which prevails in that 
heme of perpetual light and love, 
who shi>Il say that there are not. in 
the Heavens nb ve us, angelic eyes re- 
garditig v/ith f:avor those our loyal cere- 
monies, and saintly voices eanclioning 
this onr tribute to ettrihly valor? 

By the voiceless, yet potent alchemy 
of our own hearts, wo transmute this 
cold marble into a warr;'', br-athii}-'' en- 
tity, radiant with attractions unuttera- 
bl' , and memorin'^ beyond enumeration. 

Etiiinentiy lippiopriute does it appear 
that the crowning object of t'is ceno- 
taph should signify ou? appreciation of 
and gratitude for the devotion, the pat- 
riotism, the self-denial, the privations, 
the labors and the triamph3 of the pri- 
vate soldiers of the Confederacy. At 
best, it is but an adumbration of what 
we feel and desire. 

It is deservedly our boast that no mer- 
cenary element, no adventitious aids 
entered into the composition of our ar- 
mies. They were drawn from the bosom 
of the Confederacy, and were the aggre- 
gation of the manhood, the intelligence, 
and the noblest passions of our land. 
Animated by impulses and aims unusual 
in the history even of defensive 
wars, our soldiers possessed an ap- 



preciation of the issues involved, 
and acknowledged a moral and per- 
sonal accountability in the conduok 
of the contest, wliich rendered 
their acts and utterances remark- 
able under all circumstances. They 
were in very deed the representatives of 
the rights, the property, tho in<-Rllont?ial 
and social worth, the resolution and the 
honor of the Confederacy. "Wonder- 
ful men ! What age or country has pro- 
duced their tquais ?" No niarvel that 
we had great leaders. They ere begotten 
of worthy subaltercp, and are m^de 
illustrious by the achievements of those 
whom they command. While it is true 
tl;;;)!. t!;:- d'^cipl'-ne ?*vA ffl5(«!o*"C" of ?.n 
army are in large measure due to the 
ability of the chief, it is equally beyond 
dispute that in the la at analysis we must 
rely upon the individual tnanhood, the 
clear apprehension, the indomitable will, 
the personal pride, and the inherent 
bravery of the tioof.a for the highest 
cshibiuoiis of lieroic sc^ioa and patient 
endurance. ''I am commissioned by the 
President to thank ycu, in the name of 
the Confederate .States, for the undying 
fame you have, won for their arms." — 
Ttus did General Lee, by published or- 
der, acknowledge the gcasrsl obligation. 
Earth from her past and pre< eat can 
furnish no higher illaatrationa of forti- 
tude, no loftier f xamples of relf-denial, 
no surer proofed of patriotic devotioa 
ihan were exhibited ia the lives, acts 
and deaths of f ho p^ivpfe soWiors of the 
Confederate revolution. 

Meet it is that their virtues and the 
honors they have won shjulJ hero find 

"A forted residence 'gainst. the tooth of time, 
\nd raenre rf oblivioa." 

ijetrpiy graven on this eadnring mon- 
ument, open to the light of Heaven, and 
to bo known stid read of all m^n^ v,-.^) re- 
cord this sentiment in honor of our Con- 
federate dead : " Worthy to have lived 
and known our gratitude; worthy to be 
hallowed and held in tender remem- 
brance ; worthy the fadeless fame 
which Confederate soldiers ivon ivho 
gave themselves in life and death for 
us, for the honor of Georgia, for the 
rights of the States, for the liberties of 
the people, for the sentiments of the 
South, for the principles of the Union, 
as these were handed down to them by 
the fathers of our common country." 

While the names of chief captains 
aurvive and are preserved on the lists of 
fame, scant is the memory of those who 
bore their bannerp, and, by their toil 
and blood purchased the victories 



8 



whiflb jnnrJfi their commanders immor- 
tal. History furnishes numerous in- 

efnTir--'>-i i" nvT-f r.f fb'<^ ^^"tirtion. fturl 

the record of our Ooufederate waif offara 

Miltiades, Aristides, and the w^r-ruler 
Oallimaehus are remembered as the 
heroes of that decisive engagement 
^hich broke the spell of Persian iuvin- 
cibilitys preserved for mankind the in- 
teliec'cuai treasures of Athens, and 
paved ilie way for ihe liberal eni gien- 
ment of the Western woiid. Ttie ten 
columns erected on the plain of Mara- 
thon, whereon wtre engravea the names 
of those whose g'ory it was to have 
fallen in the great Battle of Liberation, 
have loug since perished. Their in- 
scriptions are dust, and nothing now, 
bttVo a, luuc cinlh-uiound, maiks the 
spot v?here the noblest heroes of an- 
tiquity—the Marathnnomakoi - repose. 

For more than twenty centuries have 
the vielories of Alexander the Great 
astounded the world. Will the student 
of history recall the name of a single 
private in the celebrated Macedonian 
Phalanx ? And yet, it was by the in- 
domitable valor, the unswerving dis- 
cipline, and the heroic enduranco of 
the veterans who composed it, that the 
fiery conqueror established his univer- 
sal empire. 

To Livius and Nero — the heroes of 
the Meraurus — public triumphs were de 
creed by the Roman Senate; but where 
is the roster of the brave men who 
aeuleviid the victory? 

Armenius has been well-nigh deified, 
but who has erected statues to the lion- 
hearted Germaijs who overcame the 
Legions under Varrus ? 

Priseus has left us a portrait of the 
Royal Hun, but tradition preserves no 
muster roll of his followers who, upon 
the ample plains ol Chalons, met and 
overcame the confederate armies of the 
Romans and Visigoths ? 

Who wact liittt Bdxou wrestler, with 
his heavy hatchet, in the battle of Hast- 
ings, doing great mischief to the Nor- 
mans, and well nigh striking off the 
bead of Duke Wiiliam himself? i\lea of 
Kent and Essex, who fought so won- 
drous well, where are your graves ? 
Bast friends of the brave Harold, who 
who rallied longest around the golden 
standard and plitd so valiantly the 
ghastly blow in defense of home and 
patri )t King, have your names been for- 
gotten by the Muse of history ? 

Admiral Buchanan we remember and 
revere, but who will name the crew 



of the Virginia — that iron diadem of 
ihe South, whose thunders in Hampton 
RnofJci nonpumed the Cumberland, over- 
came the Congress, put U> ti;gLit ihe 
Federal navy, and e/rhifved a victory 
the novelty and grandeur of which coa- 
vuleed the maritime nations of the 
world ? 

The leader lives, while the memory 
of the subordinate actors survives only 
in the general recollection of the event. 
in the very nature of things it happens 
that 

"A thou?ani glorious actiona that m'sht'claim 
Triumphant laurels and immortal fame, 
Confuted in clo..da of glorioa^ actions lie. 
And troopa of heroes undistm^uiBhed die." 

Because this is so; because we desire 
in the present and for all time to render 
honor to all who, withonf. reward, and 
amid privations and perils the most 
appalling, in comparative obscurity bore 
the brunt of our battles and won our 
victories; b: cauaa our wish is that none, 
however humble, who followed the Red 
Cross to the death, should he without 
stone and epitaph, do we novf exalt this 
statue of the private soldier, aui. dedi- 
cate this monument to our Confederate 
dead. 

* * "We give iu charge 

Their names to the sweet Lyre. The Historic 

Muse, 
Proud of the treasure, marches with it down 
To latest times; and Sculpture, in her turn, 
Gives bond in stone and c ver-during brass, 
To guard them and to immortaliza her tru:t." 

What we heie comsecrate we en 
join upon our descendants to preserve 
unimpaired. For nearly five hun- 
dred years have Swiss peasants an- 
nually repaired to the field of Sem- 
paoh, and, assembling around the four 
crosses which mark the spot where 
the victory was won which secured the 
independence of their homes, rehearsed 
the narrative of the battle, read aloud 
the roll of the two hundred who gave 
their lives to the cause, chanted anthems 
in honor of the slain, and renewed their 
vowd to country and to freedom. Will 
the sons of Confederate sires prove less 
observfint of tht-ir obligations to the 
memory of our illustrious dead ? 

These marbles testify of truth, justice, 
liberty, self sacrifice valor, loyalty, man- 
hood, love of country, and are a worship 
in themselves. 

Citizens of Richmond county, behold 
the monument which the loves and the 
labors of these "obl ■ women have bnild- 
ed, and which they now commit 
to your keeping. Guard holily the pre- 



9 



oione gift. Receive it as the e-nbody- 
ment of all you esteem most dear ia a 
glorious past. Suffer not oue stone to 
perish from out its fair proportions. 
Maintain it as a living pledge o! your 
devotion to all that is pure, patriotic, 
chivalrous, and of high repute. Revere 
it as the mausoleum of our good and 
great Confederate dead. And, 

"When the long years have rolled slowly 

away, 
E'en to the dawn of earth's funeral day ; 
When at the Archangel's trumpet and tre£.d 



Kise up the faces and forms of the dead ; 
When the great Wf.rldite last judgment awaits. 
When the blue sky shall swing open the gates 
And our long columns march silently through 
Past t'le Great Captain for final review, 
Thtn fr«m the blood that has flowed for the 

right 
Crowns shall spring upward, untarnished and 

bright; 
Then the glad ears of each war-martyred aoa. 
Proudly shall hear the good tidings— ' Well 

done ' 
Blesaiugs for garlands shall cover them over, 
Parent and husband, and brother and lover ; 
God shall reward ih-se read heroes of ours, 
And coTi^er them over with beautiful flowers." 















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